YSaC, Vol. 364: It’s a crock, all right.

FROGS FROGS FROGS!!!!

3 OF THEM ARE DUMPY WHITE TREE FROGS AND THE OTHER ONE IS A RED LEGED TREE FROG

I WAS HIDING THEM FROM MY PARENTS AND THEY COUGHT ME SO NOW THEY HAVE TO GO =(

THERE GREAT EATERS , THEYRE REALLY HEALTHY,AND SUPER EASY TO TAKE CARE OF

THEY LOVE KRICKES AND BEING IN THE WATER BOWL

THEYER REALLY FRIENDLY LIKE TO BE CARRIED

THEYRE REHOMING FEE IS $21 EACH

THERE AS BIG AS YOUR PALM OF YOUR HAND

Today’s lesson: statistics.

Let’s say you have three forms of a word that sound the same but are spelled differently and mean different things. I don’t know, let’s say those words are there, they’re, and their.

Now let’s say that you write something that uses those words five times. What are the chances, if you use one of the three different spellings randomly each time, that you will get the proper word in the proper place completely by accident at least once? (The answer is, of course, 1 out of 3 — each time you choose a word at random, there’s a 33.33% chance that it was the right one.)

Let’s add in an additional complication, just for fun: let’s say that you aren’t content with just the existing (and correct) three forms of the homonym, and you decide to add in your own incorrect version of the word, theyer. Now what do you think the chances are of getting the right version of the word in the proper place at least once is? (The answer is, of course, 1 out of 4, or 25%.)

Okay, okay. Let’s move on and do a different type of problem. Let’s say that you have four frogs, all of which apparently are capable of enlarging their vocal sacs to act as a resonant chamber for the air being pushed through their larynx. Let’s say that you’re keeping them in your house. What do you think the chances are that your parents will not be able to identify this sound and its location?

Given those odds, and the spelling in the rest of this ad (crock? leged? cought? krickes?), for bonus points: What time will Train A arrive in Chicago?

Thanks for the submission, Kim!

Also: Be sure to check out the update I posted late last night, just below this post. It’s a dramatic adaptation of an earlier spambot posting done by a reader, and it’s fantastic.

You’re thinking of the possibility that he’ll get at least one right out of the five occurrences, and you’re right about that — but I was just thinking of each occurrence individually. If you have three choices, and you pick one randomly, you’ve got a 1 in 3 chance of picking the right one.

I’m just wondering where exactly they were hiding the frogs. I mean, those frogs need a lot of room. It also seems that their enclosures require a lot of effort (and money) that somebody who has to worry about their parents forbidding certain pets probably can’t give. Poor frogs. :c

Are we sure the poster isn’t actually seven? I mean, I really hope that’s the case. Mom and Dad say, “you let those things loose right now!” and big bro says, “c’mon buddy, we’ll sell them to nice people online, you write up the ad, and I’ll help you post it.”